


necesito esperanza para amor y amabilidad

by hint2bee



Series: stay right here, right next to my side [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: (do i still have to put that it's been a month), Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Canonical Character Death, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Marriage Proposal, i didnt actually know what i was gonna do with this at first and yet, there is a plot to this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-07-04
Packaged: 2019-05-15 23:47:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14800254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hint2bee/pseuds/hint2bee
Summary: A story about like, love, and two men's quest to get their useless brother/brother-in-law back from Hel, and how their love makes itself stronger than the death of one (1) idiot.





	1. Central Park

**Author's Note:**

> WOW OKAY!
> 
> how long has it been? i've been so busy with finals and then family shit and now i've got to study and fill out apps for medical school and ohhhhhh god
> 
> title is from CINEMA 3 by BROCKHAMPTON. it means "i need hope for love and kindness". thank you amy (@kurtvile on tumblr, @cosmicthing on here)

Bruce is married to his work. His only companion is the Hulk, who does  _ not  _ count, as much as he’d like to pretend he does. He likes hanging out with Tony, sure, but he doesn’t see him except during the Avenger’s bi-yearly get together, when the world is about to end. 

And then he goes under one time, and when he wakes up, he’s on a wrecked quinjet, and Thor is there, and two years have passed, and his work doesn’t matter in space.

After he transforms on the Bifrost, before they fight Hela, Bruce doesn’t see Thor again until the battlefield in Wakanda.

And half of everyone is gone.

It takes some time to fully realize what happened, but the realization is swift, and it hits Bruce like a blow to the head.

He sits up in his bed in the middle of the night, heaving.

He needs to talk to Thor.

The halls of the Wakandan palace are foreign and empty. He hears crying from some of the rooms, he recognizes some of the voices and some he doesn’t recognize. He hears Steve’s sobs, and he pauses by the door, until he hears Clint, calming Steve, and he moves on. He hears Okoye and Shuri, crying together. Every voice he hears is in mourning.

None of them belong to Thor.

He finds Thor on a balcony which looks out over the city, which is silent tonight. The man turns to look at him, almost surprised.

“Bruce. I was not… expecting you,” Thor says, his voice dull, emotionless. Bruce doesn’t say anything, just walks up to stand next to Thor, looking out into the stars.

“It’s… weird. To think that… half of everyone is just gone. Nothing we could do to save them. And you... we. We did everything we could’ve done. And it didn’t work,” Bruce says, softly. Thor looks at Bruce, and Bruce looks at Thor.

“I’m sorry about Loki,” Bruce says, quietly. He’s not surprised when he hears a quiet sob from Thor. Bruce lays an arm around Thor, who in turn throws his arms around Bruce, holding him tightly.

“I can’t keep doing this. I can’t keep letting things that I love go,” Thor whispers into Bruce’s ear.

_ Then don’t let go of me,  _ Bruce thinks. Years later, Bruce will ask Thor if Asgardians can read minds or something, and Thor will just laugh.

Thor pulls back, slightly, keeping a hold on Bruce.

And he leans down and kisses him.

“I can’t let you go,” Thor says, his voice breaking.

Bruce doesn’t hesitate to kiss him again.

* * *

 

Steve is the first to find out about them.

It’s not like they’re hiding it, it’s just that, in the time of crisis, they hadn’t told anyone, and now that everyone is back, they don’t see a need to be noisy about it.

They’re making out in the pantry in Thor’s Brooklyn home when Steve catches them. 

They make out a lot. Bruce has no excuse, Thor is a good kisser. He has fifteen hundred years of practice that have not gone to waste. Thor’s got Bruce leaning up against the back wall of the pantry, and has positioned his left knee in between Bruce’s legs, ensuring that they’re as close together as they can be. Bruce’s hands are intertwined loosely around Thor’s hips.

It is unmistakable what they are doing.

“Excuse me.”

Bruce jumps, and makes eye contact with a drowsy looking Steve.

“You’re blocking the coffee filters,” he says, simply, and in response, Thor plucks them from the shelf above Bruce’s head, and hands them to the man, who grabs the filters and turns to leave.

“Congrats, by the way,” Steve says, before leaving the two alone. Thor tilts his head, and goes back in to kiss Bruce, who holds his hand up for a second, stopping the god.

“What’s wrong, my love?” Thor asks, stroking Bruce’s cheek.

“What… uh… what are we?” Bruce asks, and Thor raises an eyebrow.

“What are we?” Thor repeats, confused.

“Yeah, yeah, like uh. Are we boyfriends, or just hooking up, or…?” Bruce asks.

“Bruce, I love you. I assume you feel the same way. A label is not something that we need, unless you want to label us,” Thor says, simply.

“I love you too,” Bruce says, in shock, almost, and Thor kisses Bruce. There’s a knock at the door frame, and the two separate, and look at Bucky, who now stands in the doorway.

“Where do you keep your condoms?”

Bruce is shocked. “Excuse–”

“Second drawer of the nightstand on the left, in the master bedroom,” Thor says, simply. Bucky hums a thank you, and turns away.

“I figured that they would get together eventually. It’s been eighty years together, and I see the love in their eyes,” Thor explains to Bruce, when he stares at him in surprise.

“God, how’d I end up with you?” Bruce asks, and Thor laughs.

* * *

 

Bruce is the first one to actually talk about Loki with Thor.

“The only thing I can think of is that fact that I should’ve been able to stop Thanos. I should’ve been able to save… him,” Thor says. They’re lying in their bed, facing each other as the soft moonlight streams through their window.

“You were outnumbered, we were outnumbered. We couldn’t have done anything. They knew what they were doing, they were highly powered and, honestly, sometimes I’m surprised we were able to defeat them,” Bruce says, tracing through Thor’s hair, which is getting long again.

“You’re right, I know you are but… he’s my brother. He’s faked his death so many times that the actual revelation of him and his death has yet to truly sink in. I feel I am callous for that,” Thor says, kissing Bruce’s hand. Bruce leans in, and kisses Thor gently.

“It’s not callous, it’s how human emotions work,” Bruce says.

“I’m not human, I’m–” Thor starts.

“I love you, but shut up. It’s okay to feel numb, and not like you’re mourning. It was like that for me after my mom died, but one day, I was able to come to my senses and and realize and properly mourn, but it did take seven months. It’s only been five. You’re going to be fine, because no matter what happens, I’m going to be here for you,” Bruce explains, quietly, and Thor smiles.

“I love you too, Bruce,” he says, kissing his boyfriend.

They hold each other tightly as they sleep.

* * *

 

Their house is right on the border of Central Park.

Thor likes Central Park. He likes Earth’s nature and the way that humans in the city still have such a primal need to be within that nature.

He also really quite likes the carousel.

They’re sitting in the park, watching the children on the carousel. It’s nearly Christmas, and New York is dusted in snow.

“Steve and Bucky just texted. They’re inviting us out to their cottage for the holidays, if you wanna go,” Bruce says, looking at his phone. Thor is silent, looking out over the pond. He gets like this sometimes, Bruce knows it’s nothing personal, just how life is for Thor.

He’s still coping with the greatest losses he’s ever faced. Thor stays silent for a long time this time, watching children skate on the frozen over pond.

“Oh. Um. Tell them we’re coming,” Thor says, startling out of his reverie. 

“You okay?” Bruce asks, sliding his phone back in his pocket.

“I was thinking about my mother,” Thor says, watching a group of three young girls skating together, two of them helping the other get back on her feet.

“Frigga?” Bruce asks. He knows about Thor’s family, Brunnhilde told him what she knew, and Bruce figured out the rest on his own.

“Yes. She and I. We were never close. But she was such a kind soul. So loving. I often wonder if things would be better if I were less like Odin, more like her,” Thor says, carefully. Bruce reaches out to lay a hand on his boyfriend’s shoulder, causing the man to look at him.

“You are like her. You were younger, you made mistakes, but you’ve grown, you’ve changed. You’re like her now,” he says, and Thor laughs.

“I’m nearly two thousand years old, my love, I think my growing is done,” he says, kissing Bruce’s head. Bruce huffs, amused.

“You can grow at any age. To love is to grow.”

As Thor kisses Bruce, he feels the snow dusting his shoulders melt.

* * *

 

Bruce’s favorite time of the year is the dead cold of winter, the end of January and the beginning of February. It’s biting cold, but he works from home and the windows in his home look out over the park. In past, he spent this time alone, brewing his own tea and snuggling in the blankets his mom used to knit, watching the snowfall on his own in his Ohio home, or he didn’t get to experience it at all, either in Brazil or on Sakaar, as Hulk.

Now, he’s looking out of the window in his New York home, and instead of just being wrapped in his blanket, his boyfriend is wrapped around him. They sit in a calm silence, their reverie only disturbed by the soft classical music they have playing in the background, and the occasional snap of their fireplace. Bruce takes a drink of his tea, and leans back into Thor’s chest.

“What if we got married?” Bruce asks. He almost expects Thor to react in shock, but the man laughs softly, happily.

“I think that would be a wonderful thing,” Thor says, and Bruce can hear the smile in his voice. He sets his drink down, and turns around to face Thor. He’s wearing the soft blue eyepatch that Bruce thinks brings out the color of his blonde curls, his face is gentle and kind and Bruce has never been in love like this kind of love, he’s never felt this softness in another person.

He’s never felt like he’s been so much alike a person yet so different.

He could cross the universe a million times and then a million more and he would never,  _ ever _ , feel any less love for Thor than he does right now, and any less love than he felt yesterday, and tomorrow, and the next day, month, year, millennium.

And all that love, all that love and compassion and absolute adoration. He feels it stronger than ever before.

“Will you marry me?”

* * *

 

They get married over a year after they start dating. It’s June, and they just have a small ceremony, twenty-four people in total, at a gazebo in the park, over a small pond. The reception is held at their house.

Steve, Thor’s best man, comes up to Bruce as he’s looking quietly out of their bay window, watching the trees blow in the evening wind.

“Storms tomorrow. Good timing on your part,” Steve says, carefully.

“He didn’t want you, originally,” Bruce says, candidly, looking at Steve, whose own silver wedding band is very suddenly contrasting against his bright red face.

“Is is because of our… past?” Steve asks, referencing Thor’s and his tryst back when Ultron was still a problem, and Bruce laughs.

“God, no. It’s because he didn’t want anyone other than Loki to be his best man,” Bruce says, pursing his lips. Steve hums, quietly, and the two men look out of the window, into the park.

“It’s hard, losing someone like that. Peggy, she was. She was like that to me. I got to say goodbye. I can’t imagine what it’s like that without that chance,” Steve says, and Bruce nods.

“But what do I do about it, Steve? How do I help him? I can’t stand to see him like this, y’know,” Bruce says, and Steve lays a hand on his shoulder.

“That’s not something you can fix easy. But a hobby does help,” Steve says, “has he tried painting?”

Bruce looks at Thor, who’s talking happily with Sam and Clint, who are no doubt giving him advice pertaining to how they achieved their own wedded bliss, despite them not being married yet. Thor smiles at him, softly, before going back to his conversation.

“Not yet,” Bruce says.

* * *

 

Thor doesn’t pick up painting, but he does have athletic hobbies. He particularly likes biking.

He’s actually out biking when the guardians of the galaxy land.

“I don’t think that’s legal,” Bruce says as he looks at the ship, which is currently parallel parked in front of their townhouse. Peter looks back at the  _ Benatar _ , and smiles wildly.

“I don’t think M-class ships fall under Earth laws, necessarily,” he says, and Bruce shrugs, looking around the guardians.

“Thor went out, he’s biking. You’re welcome to come in the house until he comes back, which should be soon, and then he’ll listen to whatever wack job idea you have.” Bruce says.

They have a wack job idea to end all wack job ideas.

“See, I can’t endorse this,” Bruce says, sitting forward, worriedly.

“We through you would say that, Bruce, which is why we want you to come with us,” Gamora says, and Bruce grits his teeth, trying to stay calm. He looks over to Thor, whose face is one of confusion, but also of hope.

“How sure are you of this?” Thor asks, looking between Gamora and Peter, who make eye contact.

“As sure as shit,” Peter says, and Thor looks at Bruce.

“That’s very sure,” Bruce explains, and Thor purses his lips.

“How do you know that Loki is in Helheim?”

“Where else would he be?” Gamora asks, almost challenging Thor.

“Thor, sweetie, you don’t have to do this,” Bruce says to the man, who looks about ten seconds away from mental breakdown.

Thor is silent for a beat. 

“Bruce, my love, I want to do this,” he says, slowly, as if choosing his words carefully. Simple words, yet words with more meaning than Bruce could handle. 

“Then let me get some things, I assume this is going to be more than a day trip,” Bruce says, gently, before standing.

There goes his day.

At least Thor will get some closure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i didn't mean to make this multi-chaptered but my friend R (@vifen on tumblr) was talking about how thor (who's so dreamy) would totally fight tooth and nail to get loki back from death (because he's like that) and my friend anna (@kurtvile on tumblr, @cosmicthing on here) won't shut up about how loki's totally alive and
> 
> i think in the movie-verse they should keep loki dead because im an author first and foremost and full tea full shade that death scene was really well executed
> 
> but im also absolutely fucking awful
> 
> this first chapter is a little more in my softè style because I'm just writing a thorbruce oneshot WITH A TWIST and since the next chapter is really just a lot of fucking around with the guardians im gonna break out the old humor writing that apparently my more original works showcase. yall have fun waiting another three months for this


	2. The Benetar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two men, in their quest to bring their brother/brother-in-law back, stumble upon the dumbest fuckers in the galaxy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what is UP happy pride month yall i just had a fight with a fucking MORON earlier today and I feel grrrrreat.
> 
> this chapter is always gonna be weird, i hate middle chapters so yknow that's the tea. prepare for (some) angst.
> 
> thanks as always to anna @cosmicthing and R @ I don't think R has an Ao3 for the inspo. thanks kenzi (@thecatnipmademedoit on tumblr) for the support
> 
> things are gonna get a little... Strange...
> 
> you've undoubtedly read the tags you know that Dr. Strange is in this.

Drax is staring at Bruce. Bruce is trying to ignore him, per Gamora’s advice.

Drax has been staring at Bruce for an hour and a half.

“Are you okay? Do you need to talk to me?” Bruce asks, a hint of aggression in his voice. He doesn’t mean it, but it’s enough to scare anyone who knows what he is away.

“I’m just wondering how you were able to wed Thor,” Drax says. Bruce shifts his eyes to look at Rocket, who blinks in surprise, looking up from the box that he’s tinkering on. (He promised Bruce it wasn’t a bomb. He’s lying.)

“It’s legal worldwide, now,” Bruce says, looking at Thor.

“But he is… so much, and you are… that,” Drax says, and Rocket just sighs.

“Just because Bruce isn’t as tall and strong as Thor doesn’t mean he’s not good for him, you dumb hunk of blue,” Rocket snaps, rolling his eyes,

“On my planet, size and strength were the key factors which determined how you were wed,” Drax explains, matter-of-factly, which makes Banner almost sympathetic for the man.

“Well, Drax, he is from _Earth_ , where you get married for _love_ , not based on how much you can lift,” Rocket mutters.

“It was based on much more than you could lift, you fool, it was–” Drax begins, ranting.

“It was more than that, I _know_ , Drax!” Rocket snaps, slamming the box, which isn’t a bomb (it’s a bomb), shut.

“I told you, Banner, it ain’t a bomb! I haven’t blown up the ship yet,” Rocket snaps.

“I am Groot,” the tree, who’s been sitting silently in the corner, mumbles, indignantly.

“That was once, and it wasn’t on the ship, Branches,” Rocket growls.

“What, what was once?” Bruce asks, alarmed.

“I am Groot,” the tree responds, almost amused, moving out of the room.

“I do not understand him,” Bruce mumbles.

“Rocket once set off a bomb that took out an entire Myllien temple,” Mantis says, gently, causing Bruce to jump.

“I didn’t realize you were there,” Bruce says.

“Gamora and Peter want to talk to you guys about the plan,” Mantis says, smiling as her antennae twitch. Bruce looks back to the viewing window in the ship, where his husband sits, looking out into the galaxy that speeds past them. It’s all so familiar to him, he’s seen this, lived this for all of his years, and Bruce is just returning to his nightmare. He hears someone clear their throat behind him, and he turns to face Stephen Strange.

Yes, that Stephen Strange.

(“How did you know the guardians were here?”

“I’m monitoring the airspace around New York 24/7 for alien spacecrafts.”

“Oh. We’re just going to get Thor’s brother.”

“The dead one?”

“Yes.”

“I’m coming.”

“Stephen–”

“No buts.”)

The doctor looks at Thor, who hasn’t really moved since boarding the ship.

“Is he… alright?” Stephen asks.

“He’s hopeful. I just don’t want what these guys have to be fake,” Bruce says, ignoring Rocket’s indignant “hey”.

“Or do you not want it to be real? Are you worried of the consequences of them being able to rescue Loki?” Stephen asks.

“Remind me, Stephen, what kind of doctor were you?” Bruce asks, furrowing his brows. Stephen raises a brow.

“I was a neurosurgeon,” Stephen says. Of course. Bruce remembers from medical school, all surgeons are the same. Cocky, assuming, and all-around dicks. Bruce went into oncology.

“Ah, so you weren’t a psychiatrist?” Bruce asks.

“No?”

“Then don’t try to psychoanalyze me, please,” Bruce mutters. Stephen raises both of his brows, and turns slightly, towards the cockpit. Bruce moves over to Thor, who jumps slightly when he lays a hand on his shoulder.

“Peter and Gamora are gonna talk to us about the plan, Thor,” Bruce explains to the man, who nods.

“I’ve never seen this area, not so close to Earth. It’s quite beautiful,” Thor says, looking around the bubble window.

“Thor. Are you okay?” Bruce asks, sitting next to the man on the wide window seat. Tears stream from his eye, and Bruce can see his hand trembling.

“Thor. Thor, look at me,” Bruce demands, his voice getting a little deeper, evidence of the Hulk popping out, for just a moment. This causes Thor to look at him, finally.

“I’m fine.”

“No you’re not,” Bruce snaps, alarmed.

“I’m going to be fine, my love,” Thor says, and he gently kisses Bruce on the head, before standing and moving to the cockpit. Bruce huffs out, slowly pursing his lips.

He’s gonna smack someone.

* * *

 

“Okay, so, Hel, in Niffleheim, where your brother is, I assume you’ve heard of it?” Peter says, and Thor nods. “Cool, so for you plebs, it’s essentially the Asgardian version of our heaven or hell, also we can access it without dying,” Peter explains, quickly, and Bruce and Stephen make eye contact.

“Did you call us plebs?” Stephen asks, and Gamora groans, quietly.

“I knew I should’ve done the talking,” she mutters, “we believe your brother to be in Hel, awaiting trial, before he’s either sent to Valhalla, or to be tortured in Hel.”

“It’s pronounced Niflheim,” Thor says to Peter.

“Niffleheim,” Peter attempts, butchering Thor’s elegant pronunciation.

“Niflheim.”

“Niffleheim.”

“Not even close,” Thor says, almost indignant, in a way that makes Bruce laugh a little.

“So, when we get to Niffle… when we get to Hel, we’re gonna have to sneak through the guard, but since you killed Hela, who was essentially in charge of that whole shindig, it’s been a fucking mess out there. Anyone who hasn’t been committed to a specific area of Hel or Valhalla, y’know, those who are still in the waiting area, they’re free game to bring back. There’s no one we care about there, but we heard wind that Loki was in the area, so we figured we’d call you up,” Peter explains.

“Where did you ‘hear wind’ that Loki was alive?” Bruce asks.

“In a bar on Sakaar. It’s really wild there,” Peter laughs, and Bruce and Thor make eye contact.

“You know Sakaar?” Gamora asks.

“It’s where I was kept as Hulk for two years, Earth time, and where Loki and Thor found Brunnhilde. Valkyrie,” Bruce explains.

“Wild. Well there was some guy there, looked weird as fuck, was talking about Loki, actually. How, if he could just get off the planet, he’d save him from Hel,” Peter says, before shrugging. Bruce has a moment of realization, and he slowly looks towards Thor, who looks at him.

“You think?” Bruce asks.

“I absolutely do,” Thor says, knowing his husband’s thoughts. Stephen Strange sighs heavily.

“What is it?” he asks, exasperated.

“Did he look strangely like Jeff Goldblum?” Bruce asks.

“You mean that guy from the Fly movie?” Peter asks, confused, and Bruce nods. “Yeah. Yeah, uh. A lot, actually,” Peter says.

“Well. He’s not an entirely awful source,” Bruce mutters.

“How long will it take for us to get there?” Thor asks Gamora and Peter.

“Three hours, roughly,” Gamora says

“We’ll let you know when we’re getting close,” Peter says, and Thor nods, gently. Bruce and Stephen turn after the man, who walks silently, in thought, out of the cabin.

“Jeff Goldblum?” Stephen asks.

“It’s uncanny,” Bruce says. Stephen looks at him, as if expecting him to say he’s joking, but Bruce just nods, slowly. Stephen furrows his brows.

“That’s. Weird,” Stephen mutters.

“I’m a giant green monster and you’re one step away from Harry Potter, Stephen. Nothing at Johns Hopkins could’ve prepared you for this,” Bruce laughs.

“How did you know my alma mater?” Stephen asks.

“You told Tony. Tony told me. He bitched about you a lot. I think he was into you,” Bruce mutters.

“Definitely not my type,” Stephen laughs, as the two sit at a table, near a window, which is somewhat secluded from the main area.

“And your type is?” Bruce asks, almost amused.

“Well. Not him,” Strange laughs.

“Fair enough,” Bruce mutters, and they lapse into silence.

“I do have a question,” Stephen asks, breaking their brief respite.

“Yes?” Bruce asks.

“Why Thor? Other than the obvious, he is quite attractive,” Strange says, “I’m not trying to be hostile, I’m just curious.”

“You’re right. But, I don’t know. I don’t know why I picked him, specifically. I guess love is just something you stand by until it works out in your favor. I love family, even though my biological one didn’t work out. I love joy in life, even though it was robbed from me so many times. I love the idea of being happy, even though for years, I wasn’t able to feel it truly. And, with Thor, I can feel his love for me, I can feel his love for joy, and happiness, and family. And he’s brought all those things to me. I guess that’s why I love him,” Bruce explains, and Stephen smiles softly.

“I hope to find that one day,” he says, softly, and the two fall into silence as the ship shoots through space.

* * *

 

Thor is not lost.

His husband, his beloved Bruce, he has helped him find a sense of belonging in this desolate world, Bruce knows this. But may he be damned if he does not at the very least try to save his brother.

His brother, his best friend, for the longest time, until his own father alienated him. Blood does not make a family, but a family is not determined by blood. It is what Thor knows to be true, what has been proven to him over the many many years.

When Thanos killed Loki and Heimdall in front of him, when Bruce vanished without a trace into the unknown, when Brunnhilde and Korg disappeared, Thor thought he was lost, for sure. He thought there was nothing that could bring him back from the brink. But then Bruce came back, and so did Brunnhilde and Korg, and eventually even Heimdall, in all his glory, returned to Thor, even it was just in his dreams, guiding him from beyond.

Bruce doesn't know about Heimdall. He doesn't need to know. He worries enough about Thor, who is still mourning the loss of his family, mourning the loss of his brother, above all.

Heimdall told him not to worry about his brother for much longer. He told him that soon, soon he would not have to worry about his brother.

Thor would not have gone with the guardians otherwise.

The ship rocks.

"What in the shit was that?" Peter asks, darting into the room.

"Someone's trying to board!" Rocket says, reading off of a monitor. Thor raises his eyebrow, and Bruce and Stephen Strange come out of the small nook they were in, talking about science, no doubt.

"They're hailing us," Gamora says, quickly.

"I am  _Groot_!" Groot snaps, angry, and he and Rocket look expectantly at Drax, who furrows his brows.

"I mean are you gonna patch him through or not?" Rocket snaps, and Drax huffs angrily.

"I still do not understand the tree, and I think you know that," Drax says, pressing a button on a panel near him.

"It's been three years you supreme jackass," Rocket snaps.

The hologram of the bust of a person pops up in the center of a table, and the face on it makes Thor sigh heavily.

"Hello hello all you beautiful people. Well, would you look at that, the Lord of Thunder is here! Along with his... friends."

The Grandmaster smiles at the people in the room.

"God of Thunder," Thor corrects.

"Are you sure that's not actually Jeff Goldblum?" Dr. Strange whispers to Bruce, who sighs heavily.

"I wish it was."

Suddenly, in the view of the screen, the Grandmaster is shoved out of the way, and on to the floor. They hear a quite "ow".

"Sorry bout him, we don't know how to hold him in one room, or kill him, so we've just tied his hands and tried to make the best of it," another familiar voice says, and Thor beams at Korg.

"Do we know that one?" Strange asks Bruce, who shrugs.

"Korg, my friend! How do you fare?" Thor asks, excited.

"I'm not bad, not bad at all. Yourself?" the rock based alien asks.

"Tell him where we're going," another familiar voice says.

"Is that Brunnhilde?" Thor asks. His friends, they're back from their tour of the galaxy, which Brunnhilde described as a revenge mission against the Grandmaster. He guesses that the mission succeeded, to a degree.

"Yeah, that's her. Real riled up, y'know," Korg explains, chipper.

"Tell him the _fucking plan_ you pile of rocks, before I use you to build a house," Brunnhilde yells, and Korg purses his lips. At least, that's what Thor thinks he's doing.

"We're going to Hel, mate. We think your brother might be there," Korg says, tentatively.

"Hell yeah, why do you think we're going there?" Peter interjects, and Korg raises an eyebrow. Or, at least that's what Thor assumes is happening.

"Brunnhilde, they know!" Korg shouts back, and there's a grunt of acknowledgment.

"So. How'd you like to join us?" Brunnhilde snaps, suddenly coming into view.

"I feel like there's less of you, so you'd been joining us," Peter says.

"Agree to disagree, humie. We're better than you anyways," Brunnhilde snaps.

"Disagree to disagree, actually. Pretentious much?" Peter snaps, causing Brunnhilde to laugh loudly, and causing Bruce to sigh, looking into the middle distance. Thor laughs at his husband, who smiles softly at him.

There's a quiet whining from the hologram, and Korg and Brunnhilde look to the floor, where Korg shoved the Grandmaster.

"We should probably pick him up," Brunnhilde mutters, and Korg nods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dont @ me for adding strange anna has a weird thing for Strange/Loki and.... so do i...
> 
> also im pre-medical so yeah... pre-surgeons are... like that... im one of them don't @ me
> 
> also also fun fact jeff goldblum is gonna be SO FUN TO WRITE


	3. Niflheim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A large group of idiots fight a lot. They're not good at this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S SHORT I KNOW LEAVE ME ALONE.
> 
> this would've been the last chapter but i felt like. I didn't wanna cram this + them finding loki into the same chapter so i kinda just wrote this.
> 
> ANYWAYS. hope y'all like it. next chapter will be finding loki. there'll probably be another chapter after that, and then back to our regularly scheduled softé universe.

Brunnhilde and Peter do  _ not _ get along. This is evidenced by the fact that she and Korg have been on the  _ Benetar _ for less than an hour before she gives Peter a black eye.

“Y’know, she’s far stronger than you,” Thor says, amused, as Peter holds a cold rag to his eye, glaring at him.

“No shit, Sherlock,” Peter snaps.

“Don’t be mean, honey,” Bruce says, laughter in his voice as he stands on tiptoe to kiss Thor’s cheek.

“We’re nearly there,” Brunnhilde says, coming into the main cabin.

“What’s the plan for when we do get there?” Stephen asks, and Brunnhilde and Peter both look at him with disdain.

“My team doesn’t do plans, Nostradamus,” Peter says, in a demeaning tone.

“We’re going to the afterlife, I don’t really see a need for a plan,” Brunnhilde says, haughtily.

“Why do you two not get along? You’re basically the same person,” Stephen mutters, turning away from the two towards Bruce and Thor.

“Do either of you know what we’re doing when we get there?” he asks.

“The Revengers don’t ‘do’ plans,” Thor says, and Stephen groans quietly.

“What… what are the Revengers?” he asks, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“It’s me, Thor, Brunnhilde, and Loki. We were a little short on options when Brunnhilde asked for a name so Thor had to think on his feet,” Bruce explains, rolling his eyes.

“Oh. Well I thought it sounded like an Avengers knockoff,” Stephen mutters, “much like the guardians.”

“Hey!” Peter snaps, “we’re way better than the Avengers.”

“Debatable,” Bruce mutters.

“We’ve saved the galaxy, you what, micromanage one planet?” Rocket snaps from the table where he is  _ still working on the bomb _ .

“Whatever, none of you are as good as the Revengers,” Brunnhilde says, as Korg comes into the main area.

“Is it just me or is this ship just a tad too small for all… twelve of us?” Korg asks.

“If I recall correctly, Gamora and I invited two extras, Bruce and Thor,” Peter starts, “we did not invite the Asgardian Xena, a pile of rocks, Tony Stark new and improved, and Jeff fucking Goldblum!”

“Who is Jeff Goldblum and why do you keep calling me him?” the Grandmaster shouts from a side room, almost exasperated.

“Should I go shut him up again?” Korg asks.

“No, Korg, he’s just gonna keep bitching,” Brunnhilde mutters, “and this fucking humie doesn’t know shit about Hel, or anything about to get in, out, or even how to fucking function. Tell me Peter, why do you think we brought the Grandmaster?”

“I don’t know, because you hate me?” Peter growls, and Brunnhilde rolls her eyes.

“No, genius, because to remove a soul from Hel, you have to leave another soul in its place,” she says, and the ship suddenly goes quiet.

“Seriously?” Bruce asks. As much as he hates the guy, he can’t help but feel a little cruel at the idea of essentially killing the Grandmaster.

“I didn’t consent to this!” the Grandmaster shouts, as angry as Bruce has ever heard him.

“Korg, bring him out here, I wanna talk,” Bruce says. Korg makes eye contact with Brunnhilde, who shrugs.

“I don’t see why they can’t talk,” she says, and Korg disappears into the side room for a moment, returning with the agitated man.

“The man who took my champion away. You’re so short. I’m surprised the Hulk didn’t kill you first,” the Grandmaster says, and Bruce huffs, laughing a little.

“For the man who’s been alive for possibly billions of years, you are not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed,” Bruce says, amused, as Korg sits the Grandmaster down on a chair, as Rocket scampers over the table to examine the Grandmaster.

“This fool is over a billion? And he still wears this blue eyeliner?” Rocket asks, before laughing at the man.

“A Halfworlder, huh? Boy is that planet a mess and a half. Do you ever wonder why they decided to fuck with you?” the Grandmaster asks Rocket, who growls ferally at the man. Bruce waves Rocket away, making eye contact with him, as if telling him that it will all be figured out.

“We’re not here to talk about that. I’m here to ask you why you let them take you, because as competent as Brunnhilde is, I still don’t think she could take you, a man who has had more practice escaping from sticky situations than Loki himself. Forgive me, I’m not the detective type, but I feel like you’re not here out of anything but free will,” Bruce says, and the Grandmaster shrugs.

“Maybe I knew that Brunnhilde was headed to Hel, along with you two and… whatever that mess is,” the Grandmaster says, nodding to the Guardians and Stephen Strange, who rolls his eyes. “Maybe I did know that you were trying to get Loki out of Hel. Or maybe I didn’t. But what I know is that Loki, the only person I’ve actually felt a spark of interest for since I’ve been alive, is in Hel, and that we can save him. Now, the question is, am I going to exchange my soul for his?”

“Lemme guess. You’re not going to,” Stephen says, sarcasm in his voice.

“That’s where you’d be wrong, Mister Cheekbones,” the Grandmaster says, “because I am planning on it. I mean, Sakaar isn’t exactly the biggest fan of me anymore, but can you imagine the damage I could do in Hel? Oh man, a Grandmaster can clean up there.”

“That sounds a little selfish,” Gamora snaps.

“Ever since Hela’s death, there’s been a need to have someone who can manage Hel. I think my résumé quite fills out any needs vis-à-vis the uh, the so and so of Hel. It’s less selfish as it is necessary,” the Grandmaster explains.

The cabin falls into an awkward silence, and Bruce just shrugs, before standing up.

“If he tries to fuck us over we’ve got enough firepower to kick his ass,” Stephen remarks to Bruce, who shrugs.

“I genuinely think he’s only winning from this situation, he has some semblance of care for Loki, and he really wants a position of power, so it wouldn’t exactly be amiss of us to be suspicious, but we also shouldn’t disregard him,” Bruce says, looking back at the Grandmaster, who makes eye contact with Drax, the two men watching each other in contempt, almost challenging each other.

“So, what do you think we should do?” Gamora asks, from across the room.

“How close are we to Hel?” Brunnhilde asks Gamora, who looks to Mantis, who taps a few buttons on a screen.

“We’re about ten minutes out,” Mantis responds.

“Well, then, all that we can do is get ready, I think,” Gamora says, making worried eye contact with Thor.

* * *

 

Bruce looks out of the window as they descend onto Niflheim, Thor next to him.

“I don’t see anyone,” Bruce says.

“That’s because Niflheim is physical, while Hel is spiritual. We will have to enter Hel through those caves,” Thor says, pointing out the shapeless forms, in the near distance.

“Did you know this before you came?” Bruce asks Peter, who shakes his head no.

“We knew we woulda needed Thor to get in, no matter what,” Peter mutters, watching the caves, as if something’s going to come out of them.

“Son of a bitch, I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Bruce mutters, quietly exhausted at all of this. The group assembles themselves, with the Grandmaster still tied up, because him running away is still a very real possibility.

"It's not a long walk, just a cold one," Thor says, and Bruce folds his arms, trying to keep warmth within his parka. He makes eye contact with Stephen, whose cape is almost comically wrapped around him, swaddling him like a baby. Stephen shrugs, and looks towards Brunnhilde and Gamora, who talk quietly, occasionally looking back to where Peter and Korg shepherd the Grandmaster.

Then he feels the ice under him crack, and he falls through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i couldn't find a place to logically insert "it's DOCTOR mister cheekbones" but just know I did think about it.


End file.
